Budget Process Vote Set For Wednesday

BERLIN — Voters will be asked Wednesday whether they want to play a bigger role in the annual budget process after the town switches to a town council/manager form of government in November.

At the special town meeting, the executive board will ask voters to amend the town charter to automatically send the budget to a townwide referendum if it's not adopted at the annual budget meeting.

FOR THE RECORD - Correction published September 19, 1995.An amendment to the Berlin town charter changing the annual budget process will be on the November ballot. A story on Page B4 Monday incorrectly reported when the amendment would be voted on. The amendment calls for a townwide budget referendum if the budget is defeated at the annual budget meeting.

The amendment also calls for the council to make the final decision on the budget if voters do not approve it at that referendum. The budget meeting would be held no later than the second Tuesday in April.

If voters approve the recommended change Wednesday, the amendment will be placed on the ballot for the Nov. 7 election.

This would be the only change to the charter residents would vote on in November. A charter revision commission in June had recommended other minor changes be put to voters in November, but the executive board later rejected those suggestions.

In November, voters will also be electing nine members to the town's first council. There are 21 candidates running for the seats -- nine Democrats, nine Republicans and three independents.

Last November, voters approved changing the town's form of government from the three-member executive board to a nine-member council/town manager system.

At Wednesday's special town meeting, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. at town hall, the executive board also will ask voters to approve money for soccer and baseball fields.

The board is looking for $107,000 to construct a a full-size soccer field on town-owned property at Percival Field; $93,000 to construct a junior- size soccer field at Berlin High School and to make improvements to the softball field and retention areas behind the high school; and $280,000 to change two existing soccer fields at Percival Heights, near the senior center on Percival Avenue, into two regulation-size Little League fields.